


Angels in the architecture

by Petra



Category: due South
Genre: Angels, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-03
Updated: 2009-12-03
Packaged: 2017-10-04 03:23:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Petra/pseuds/Petra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Technically, Ray Kowalski was a Principality, but people made jokes about that these days.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Angels in the architecture

**Author's Note:**

> For [](http://giglet.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**giglet**](http://giglet.dreamwidth.org/), and for [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/sdwolfpup/profile)[**sdwolfpup**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/sdwolfpup/), whose [You Can Call Me...](http://sdwolfpup.livejournal.com/337632.html) vid has brightened my day on innumerable occasions. Thanks to [](http://thatyourefuse.dreamwidth.org/profile)[](http://thatyourefuse.dreamwidth.org/)**thatyourefuse** for beta-reading.

The fourth time Ray woke up from a dream of wide open snowfields with his chest aching with nostalgia, he knew he had to take the transfer to Vegas. It wasn't that he had a thing for Benny--and okay, he might've--but wishing he was up in the Frozen North freaked him out. He hated Canada, land of near-death experiences. The dreams were too weird for him.

Once he got into the station, he talked to the Lieu, who wished him well, and called the Fibbies, who never did and never would.

He called Fraser last, and didn't lose his nerve.

*

"I can't just change things anymore, you know," Ray said.

Dief, who waggled his ears skeptically.

"No, really." He spread his hands, his bracelet sliding down his wrist. "You think I got a lot of places to hide wings and shit in this body?"

Dief grinned, laughing at him.

"So no flying, right, but there's no, you know, capacit--ability to channel a lot of raw firmament around the place, either." Ray ran his hand through his hair. "Or I wouldn't wear a vest to follow Fraser around. Wouldn't need to."

With a sigh, Dief put his head on Ray's thigh.

*

Ray liked telling people he Fell for Stella because nobody ever got the joke.

The problem with Fraser was it was getting almost true.

It was Ray's job to get the chaos-vector that wound through Fraser out of Chicago. Out of Ray's city. But he talked him out of transferring. Stella belonged to Chicago, still on Ray's side when she wasn't by it. Fraser was, too. Without the tests Fraser was going through, he'd have been perfect.

Ray didn't have to mostly drown to know he was losing his way, thanks, but it was a signpost.

The problem was Fraser.

*

"'Come to Canada,' he said. 'An adventure,' he said." Ray wrapped his arms around himself. "Didn't mention 'Watch me freeze to death.'"

Dief paused in the snow ahead, tail waving.

"I can't do anything like this." Ray stopped by Fraser, who was unconscious and too cold. He'd been hunting and broken his leg, miles from anywhere. "Damn it."

He shucked off his parka and all his other clothing, tucked it around Fraser, and stretched up, out of himself.

All it took was one kiss, and they were even, a life saved for a life saved.

"Vacation's over, buddy."

"Ray?"

*

"You could have said something sooner," Fraser said.

Ray snorted. "That would've gone great." Once Fraser, Dief, and the dogs were all safe at Fraser's cabin, he'd hidden his wings again. Fraser'd made him explain everything twice anyway.

"It would have been valuable information."

"And you would've believed me based on what exactly?" Ray sighed. "'Hey, Fraser, I'm an angel.' 'Let me examine your cranium, Ray; I'm afraid you've hurt yourself.' If I hadn't fixed your leg, you'd still think I was joking."

"True." A pause. "Now what?"

"Now I have to go home."

"Home?" Fraser looked up.

"Chicago."

*

Chicago was a different city without Ray Vecchio, warm in Florida, or Ray Kowalski, who had been struck by a car the day he returned and died immediately.

The latter hardly perturbed Benton; Francesca in particular had tried to comfort him.

Afterward, he walked the streets so late either Ray would have shouted at him, and caught a glimpse of Ray sitting by a homeless man, splitting a sandwich with him. The next day, a woman leaped from the Sears Tower and didn't die. The blond man in the crowd who helped her to her feet wasn't in the news footage. Later, a train came close to derailing, but didn't, and no one was hurt.

Benton went to the park and told four small children the story of Lou Skagnetti. They laughed and went back to their mothers, imitating his voice.

He waited without admitting that he was waiting.

The park bench creaked, and Ray said, "What are you doing back here?"

"Looking for you."

"I got things to do. You've got things to do." Ray nudged him, his arm strangely warm. Or not so strangely. "You came all the way back here for my funeral when you knew I wasn't dead."

Glancing at him was like looking at the sun. "I needed to. Not for your sake--obviously--but for everyone else's, including mine. I'm going home tomorrow."

"That's good." Ray sighed. "You stick by Dief, okay? I know, border regulations, it would've been a pain to bring him, but you need him."

"So he tells me," Benton agreed.

"Come on." Ray patted his knee, and the bench creaked again. "I ain't Dief, but I'll look after you."

"Where are we going?"

Another glance, another blinding smile. "I got my beat. You can help me out, maybe."

Benton stood. "All right."


End file.
